The Things We Leave Behind
by angelmariecloud
Summary: Sequel to Boredom. Gary must learn to deal with what happened to him Captive. Rated for graphic memories of torture and language.
1. Chapter 1

Nightmares

Ghost wasn't sure when Gary began having nightmares about what he'd been through, it could have started in the hospital, but he doubted it. Resiliant as the kid was, he knew that it would only be a matter of time before his mind actually and fully processed what happened to him. Barely old enough to drink, this kid had endured cruelty beyond anything, yet he still found it in him to hold onto himself. How many people could Ghost say that about? Most of his men who had survived what they'd gone through in Mexico had been so disturbed, they'd either been institutionalized or were dead.

Gary had changed a bit, though. It was the lack of sleep that made the happy-go-lucky boy quiet and reserved. And the fact that the kid had fallen asleep while eating had been a big indicator. Confined to a wheel chair until he was well again, the kid needed help. He had remebered in the hospital how Gary had turned red. He needed help to shower and was too afraid to admit it. Of course, Soap had tried to soothe the young man, assuring him that even the toughest members of the 141 needed help when they were hurt or sick.

Ghost had volunteered to wheel Gary back to the barracks.

"Gary, I know you haven't been sleeping well. Talk to me."

"It's the same nightmare, Ghost."

"What happened to you there? I need to know so we can make the best plans to help you cope."

Gary sighed.

"I can't remember. I think my mind supressed the memories to protect me. I wasn't having nightmares until I was released from the hospital two weeks ago, am I going crazy?"

"No, you aren't. You were traumatized, you're mind concentrated on other things while you were in the hospital and now it needs help understanding."

"I'm so tired Ghost. But I'm too afraid to close my eyes."

Ghost stopped and knelt beside Gary.

"I know what you're going through. It will take a while before the nightmares begin to lose their power over you, before you are completely well again. No-one is rushing you to get better, so stop trying to rush yourself."

"I hate being helpless."

"We all do."

Gary tried to smile but failed.

"How do you do it?" Gary asked.

"What?"

"Be so normal after what you went through?"

"It took a long time. It wasn't easy. But the one thing you have to remember is that you aren't alone in this. Hell, everyone is here for you."

That got a real smile out of Gary. "Now, let's get you to bed."

"But I'm supposed to see the doctor about starting physical therapy."

"It won't hurt if its delayed a few hours. You need your rest." Ghost said as he went behind the wheel chair and pushed.

By the time they got to Gary's quarters, he was half-asleep. He murmured a protest when Ghost put him into bed. But ultimately lost the battle. Ghost stayed close by in case Gary had another nightmare. An hour later, Gary, who had been sleeping peacefully began thrashing.

"No…no don't!" Ghost was at his side in a heartbeat.

"Easy Gary." He said gently.

The minute he said it, he regretted it. Gary lashed out with his good hand, and Ghost found himself in his back, on the floor.

"Don't touch me!" It seemed like he was still caught in the midst of the hadn't hurt, not really, Ghost was surprised that Gary had struck out at him. He got up and tried to restrain the young sergeant. Gary cried out when his ribs were pressed against.

"Gary."

"Don't, please don't…"

Ghost felt his heart break, what had they done to him?

"Roach, come on kid, wake up." Gary whined once more before his eyes opened. "Hey, there you are." Gary let his head fall to Ghost's chest.

"I'm sorry." Gary whispered. He'd seen the bruise forming on Ghost's jaw. He went silent after that. Ghost was content to hold Gary for a little while. Gary was shaking violently, he needed to be calmed before they could talk.

"No, I am. I shouldn't have frightened you further."

Gary looked up at Ghost, and frowned.

"You didn't know. Ghost, what happened the day you came for me? I asked Archer and Toad but Archer turned green and Toad he said it was not important at the moment. The Captain was tightlipped about it too."

Ghost looked down at Gary, and smiled gently.

"Gary, that man tried to kill you. I did what was necessary to protect you."

"Oh. So he's dead?"

"None of the men who held you are breathing. They'll never hurt anyone ever again."

Gary closed his eyes.

"Good. It was no less than they deserved."

"Do you want to talk about the nightmare? It'll help."

"I don't know if I'm strong enough."

"I know you are."

Gary could tell Ghost wasn't about to drop the subject until he got the truth of out him. He took a deep breathe, held it for a bit then left it out in a rush. It hurt his aching ribs, but it wasn't going to make them worse. He opened his eyes and braced himself.


	2. Chapter 2

Memories- Part I

Gary bit his lip, it was silent for a few moments.

"I'll start with my capture, the only thing I can recall clearly. I was dragged to a man, who seemed to be the leader, held securely by two men twice my size. The man began to talk to me, the words are hard to understand under the heavy accent.

'Tell me soldier.' he said 'Do you know what happens to trespassers in my country?' Of course didn't answer, getting the feeling he was about to tell me anyway. 'They are beaten. I'll consider granting you mercy if you simply tell me what your objective was.'

Of course, Iwasn't about to tell him anything so I just gave him the most fearsome glare I could muster and I told him to go to hell. He was less than happy about it and said something in a language I couldn't understand. Next thing I knew, my arms were tied together and to a tree branch above my head. I could feel him slicing off my clothing with a knife. So I tried to draw in on myself so that I wouldn't have to remember what was going to happen. He made a cut on my back after I'd manage to succeed.

'They won't be coming for you my little captive. Even if they do, they'll be too late. I'm going to enjoy making you scream for your mother.' He told me after.

As he spoke he dragged the knife over my back and it caught on the fresh cut. Then he drove the knife into my lower back, it wasn't deep but it still hurt. My entire body must have been tense. He twisted the knife a few times and the dragged it upwards. I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming.

'Now that you see what being a naughty captive earns, perhaps you would like to tell me your name.' He whispered in my ear. 'No? Such a pity really, I'm trying to be a good host and you give me the cold shoulder.' He ripped the blade from my lower back and walked to the front.

I had forgotten that my legs were still free. So I kicked at him, scored one to his stupid smug face. They tied my legs after that. . 'You're spirited, I'll give you that. But that was most unwise of you.' I leveled the man with a glare. 'I find it odd that a soldier would go without his dogtags to identify his dead body. Where are they?'

I simply stared him down. The others began searching through my pockets. After a few minutes, they found what they were looking for. With a malicious smile, he slipped the dogtags over my head. 'A soldier should always wear these, Gary.' I remember think

_Great, of all the terrorists, I get the one who's the most insane. If he kills me I can be his personal poltergist. Please Ghost, hurry up. I'd rather not be in pieces, this guy looks capable of actually doing it._

The terrorist sighed.

'So stubborn!, He complained. He twirled the knife in his hand. It was my own knife.

I bit my lip when the blade sank into his side. So far it was simply meant to be painful but not damaging. They wanted me alive in order to extract information from me. The blade was yanked free quickly enough.

'Andre! If you keep stabbing him, he'll bleed to death!' Another man said. He must have been the first's superior

'I've barely gotten started.' Andre whined.

'You ask the questions first idiot! Put him in a cell. And no more knifing him! I want him to live long enough to tell us everything we want to know!' Complaining about never having any fun, Andre cut me loose and dragged me to a small room. It was actually clean, considering it was a holding cell. As we had gone indoors I could hear 'And make sure you give him clothes!'

When I felt hands on the hem of my camos I fought, fearing the worst.

'I don't do men.' Andre said, he seemed to think it was funny that I was fighting so hard to stay dressed. 'I'm to make sure you are clothed. So if you interfere, I'll castrate you.'

Then he stripped my of all my clothing and put me into prisoner clothes. I remember sitting there, bleeding for an hour before one of their medics came to bandage the wounds. That's the last that I remember."

Before Ghost could react the door burst open, Archer and Royce in the door. Gary jumped with a small sound and Ghost gave the two the 'evil-eye'. Archer pushed Royce out the door.

"Sorry to interrupt you two but the doctor sent word for us to find Roach. He should have been there an hour ago."

"Out." Ghost hissed. Archer was intimidated but held his ground.

"I'll help you get to the doctor." Archer offered.

Royce listened from the hallway, Ghost sounded like he was ready to rip Archer's lungs out. Of course he really didn't blame Ghost, it was a compromising position he was in. And Archer was always looking for ways to blackmail the others. Ghost had been protective of Gary since day one but this was beyond what he'd ever seen.

"You can tell the doctor that he's not going today. He hasn't been sleeping and I am making sure he gets his rest."

Royce grabbed Archer's arm.

"Let it go. Ghost isn't going to let us anywhere near Roach right now." Royce said, dragging Archer from the doorway. When they were out of earshot of the room, Royce spoke again. "Are you nuts? Ever since Roach was rescued, Ghost hasn't left his side but a grand total of once. Ghost thinks of the guy as a little brother of sorts. And Ghost is going to protect."

Back in the room.

"Are you all right Roach?"

"Yeah, it just scared me is all."

"It's all right. There is no shame in fear."

"I think Archer shitted his pants." Gary quipped. Ghost laughed.

"Serves him right, scaring you like that."

Gary fell silent, listening to Ghost's heart. He didn't comment that Ghost was a scary person even to him when he was angry or how he thought that if Ghost were an animal, his ears would have been back. He figured it was best to stay on Ghost's good side. "What?" Ghost asked, Gary had been smiling and now he was curious to see what was Gary's internal monolog had been.

"It's just you were growling at Archer. And for some reason, I just imagined you as like a dog, ear back, fur standing up, tail straight."

Ghost's mouth fell open, shocked. Then he shook his head.

"Cheeky blighter."

"You mad?"

"Shocked, yes. Angry no."

Gary made a sound of contentment. There was a knock.

"Is it safe to enter?" It was Soap.

"Come in Captain." Ghost called. Soap came in.

"Just came to see if you needed any help Gary. But I can see that you have Ghost attending to your needs."

Gary smiled at Soap.

"So, I take it that General Sheppard didn't have you guys for breakfast?"

"We got into trouble all right." Soap said, there was amusement in his voice. "But of course, he couldn't have 83 people court marshalled for it. Too much paper work on his part." Soap grinned. "So we're still here."

Gary nodded.

"I'm glad."

"Well, I'll leave him in your care Ghost." Soap left before Gary could ask what he meant.


	3. Chapter 3

Memories Part 2

Gary glanced at Ghost to see if he'd understood what the captain meant.

"So continue."

_Gary woke up the next morning in slight pain. As a soldier he was used to pain so he didn't worry. Pain meant he was still alive, for now. Andre came into the room. Gary had realized he wasn't tied up. He sat still._

"_Wake up scum." Andre said, seeing Gary's eyes closed. Gary swept his foot under Andre's and bolted for the door. He managed to make it upstairs before Andre screamed for help. They didn't catch him until he was at the front door. A large, burly man grabbed him from behind and held him secure until another person could help restrain him._

"_From now on, there needs to be guards outside his door." A voice said from above._

_Gary continued to try to wiggle his way free, a trick taught to him by MacTavish. But found that the man holding him was a lot stronger than he was._

"_He took me by surprise." Andre protested. "He still fights."_

"_Well then you know what to do."_

'_Oh crap.' Gary thought as he was dragged to a medium size room, it had a catwalk on the top, so people could observe what was going on in the other. There were drains and large faucets to one side. The ceiling was high, so high Gary couldn't even see it. The door looked like it could become air tight; there were torture devices in several places. A table in the center that was bolted down to the floor, next to it, a small table with various sized knives, a blow torch, a small box marked meds and a device that Gary didn't want to know what it did, on top._

_He began resisting more. The man holding him laughed._

"_This one has a fiery spirit."_

"_Most do until they're broken." Andre said._

"_I take it you'll enjoy breaking this one more than you did the last three. You are gifted my brother."_

"_Why thank you. Everyone has their skills after all. Who could have guessed that my skill could be doing something that had previously put me into prison?"_

"_Andre, 'civilized' society, ha, that's an insult to the word, doesn't appreciate a serial murderer who tortured his victims top death. How many people did you actually kill?"_

_Andre smiled wickedly._

"_Now __**that**__ would be telling. More than twenty but less than one hundred before I was caught. But this one, I'll treat extra special. After all we want him coherent enough to answer, so you'll only get to see some of my lesser skills." Gary was lifted into the air and he began kicking, another large man helped pin him while Andre chained his wrists to the table. Gary thrashed full out but it was no use._

_A loud clink indicated that one leg had been secured to the table. Then the other. He was lying on his back, arms above his head, tied to two separate shackles that went into the table. From what he could see, they could be repositioned to be at his sides. His legs were held at the ankle to the lower part of the table. He yanked at his restraints, they wouldn't budge and he sank against the table._

"_I'll be watching from above."_

_The two men left the room. Gary's heart was pounding, he was terrified. This man was an escaped serial killer and he was completely unhinged._

"_Ah, I love the look of terror I see in your eyes, Gary. But don't worry, I won't harm you too badly if you tell me what it is I want to know."_

"_And that would be?"_

"_I know you are a member of the Task Force 141. I know your base is highly secretive, that you need access codes to enter."_

"_You have a spy on base, am I right."_

"_Had a spy on base, Gary. Died before he could get the codes. I do believe this was long before you joined. Of course I still have my other informant, but he can't compromise himself. So, you are going to provide me the access codes."_

"You mean to say that they have a spy on-base?" Ghost asked, interrupting Gary's narration.

"That's what he said. But he's a psycho. I don't know whether or not he was telling the truth." Gary replied.

_Gary gave Andre a look of disgust._

"_You're going to kill everyone on base. You make me sick."_

"_Well now that we've established a relationship, let's deepen it."_

"_You can do whatever you want to me. I'll never give you any more than you already have."_

"_Gary, Gary, Gary. You will tell me before long."_

_Gary stared straight ahead. He could hear Andre sifting through the tools on the table, before selecting one. Gary took a breath and let it out slowly. He jerked when he felt something wet slide along his cheek. "Jumpy!" Andre opted for cutting off all of Gary's clothing, rather than calling for the larger men to do it. Andre passed the wet cloth along Gary's arm, rubbing at the juncture of where the elbow and forearm met. It took a moment for Gary to realize that it was rubbing alcohol._

_He turned to glare at Andre, to see him messing with a syringe; it was filled with a liquid. Andre turned to see Gary watching him. "Oh, this? It's my own mixture. A combination of several things designed to make you feel good, but this is not until later, can't have you passing out from agony before-hand." He indicated to another syringe. "This however will hurt you. It's a combination of several mildly toxic things that will help loosen your lips and get the truth out of you."_

_Gary felt the needle pierce his skin and the drug put into his bloodstream. His bit his lip, trying to resist the drug's effects. "It's so much more fun when you get someone with as much spirit as you. I haven't had a challenge in such a long time. It must feel like there are knives in your head by now, so tell me, what are the codes?"_

"_Go to hell." Gary said, the words were slurred._

_Andre shook his head._

"_Maybe we should start with something easier. How old are you Gary?"_

"_Twenty."_

"_Ah, so much younger than I would have thought you to be. I take it you signed up the moment you were legally able to, am I correct?"_

"_Yes." Gary was horrified to be telling this madman anything. What the hell was in this thing, it seemed to be ripping the answers from him._

_Andre patted his arm._

"_Do you have a woman waiting for you at home?"_

"_No."_

"_A shame really. Young as you are, I would have expected a beautiful girl waiting for you." Andre grinned down at Gary. "You did though at one point?" Gary bit his lip, the drug in his system was going to force the answer from him but this was still a raw emotional wound with him._

"_Yes."_

"_What happened?"_

_The shame of it was enough to force a strained whimper from Gary._

"_She cheated on me with my CO."_

"_Did you kill the bitch?"_

"_Don't call her that!"_

_Andre chuckled._

"_I seem to have hit a sensitive cord with you. You must still love her, you fool." Gary turned his face away from Andre, he couldn't deny what Andre was saying, he did still love her, but he knew she didn't love him anymore._

"_She must have been very special to you. Now back to my first question, what are the codes?"_

"_They change the codes every other week." Gary said, the words were a bit slurred._

"_Nice. Some truth just not all of it. I am disappointed in you young one."_

"_Learn to live with it. I'll disappoint you a lot more before the day is out."_

_For an hour, Gary simply murmured things. Some was legible, most wasn't. Andre grew annoyed and backhanded Gary, but it didn't stop the now constant sounds from his lips. Gary had said many things ranging from fantasies to things about himself he would have never have told anyone, not even the closest of his friends. But this man knew more about him than his own parents._

"_Be quiet!" Andre screamed and he slapped Gary again. Gary's head snapped to the side. It took another two hours before the drug wore off and Gary fell silent, by then, he'd been hit so many times that his face was bruised. "Finally! Some peace!"_

_Gary didn't say anything. His throat was sore and his head was hurting from all the open-handed blows. How Andre's hand wasn't hurting as well, Gary didn't know. But he was relieved that Andre had stopped hitting him. Andre, on the other hand, was very irritated. The drug worked differently for each person of course but for three hours to go by without him getting the codes from the young American was unacceptable. He had a strong desire to keep him there over night but he knew that his superior would eat him alive if he did._

"_You two, get down here and get him back to his cell."_

Ghost grimaced, Gary hadn't gone into detail about the things he'd said.

"He drugged you."

"Yeah and he swore it would be the last time he'd use that particular combination on me ever again. I think I really annoyed him. And it wasn't until later on that I began to keep mental score on how many times I managed to irritate him and his higher up. It was kinda my way to get back at him for what he was putting me through."

Ghost was glad he'd killed the man slowly. Although now he wished he'd done it even more slowly to pay him back for all the harm he cause Gary.

"I'm so proud of you kid. I hope you know that."

"I do now. I got really lucky when I got assigned to the one-four-one. I would have never met any of you otherwise. Especially you Ghost. Of course I was intimidated by you when we first met. I'd heard the rumors of course, about how you'd survived your capture. I admired you for your strength, but I was still scared of you."

"I remember. It took you a very long time before you could get the nerve to talk to me. I knew of course that you looked at me like some sort of hero. MacTavish kept telling me to make the first move so you didn't think that I didn't like you. I think he was secretly happy that you took the initiative."

Gary smiled.

"I thought you didn't like me cause you never really said anything to me other than on a need to know basis. I thought I'd pissed you off."

"Gary, you were only nineteen at the time. Of course you looked up to me as your hero, all of us do it at some point in our careers."

"Even you?"

"Yes, even me."

"Who's your hero?"

Ghost grinned.

"At the moment, you."

"You're gonna make me cry Ghost." Gary mumbled into Ghost's chest.

**AN: Everything in italics is the memory, but rather than continually switching pov this way was slightly more efficient. Sorry it's taking so long to update. Been busy with a play opening. Also, although I read repressed memories might take years to recover and come back suddenly; I decided to speed up the process. So in total, Roach has been free for about a month and a half. His leg was in traction for the first month and then it was put into a cast. So he's got a few more months before his leg will be free of the cast. His arm will likely heal up first so at least he'll be able to use crutches, afteGhr some therapy for his arm, of course. Review please! **


	4. Chapter 4

The Informant

Ghost held Gary for a few more minutes before giving the younger man a look.

"Now, you are getting some sleep. When you wake up, I am going to make sure you eat."

"I am eating. Just not now."

"Gary you weigh 45.36 kilograms and you're 170.2 centimeters tall. That's still very thin."

"I know. And I know I should be one hundred twenty one pounds minimum. I lost weight as a result of them starving me. And I've actually gained some weight back considering the weight I was when you found me."

Ghost grimaced, Gary had been so bloodied that no one had actually seen how thin he'd gotten until he was brought to the hospital on base. He'd been ninety pounds. "With all the food you guys are giving me, I'll so become fat."

"Says the kid who Taco called el skeleto."

"Taco calling me a skeleton isn't funny. I was regulation weight when he did."

"Barely. 122 pounds. Don't make me force feed you."

"That's without all the gear we pack on a normal day. With the gear it raises my weight to 135."

"Lad, you'll be out of the field for a long time."

Gary made a compliant hum. Then yawned. "You need to rest."

"I know, but every time I close my eyes… will you stay with me until I fall asleep? I feel safe when you're around." The last part was slightly rushed. Ghost knew exactly how the young man was feeling. He'd had nightmares for three years after before they began to lose their bite.

"All right, remember though, these dreams cannot hurt you."

Gary bit his lip and nodded.

"How did you cope with what happened to you?" He asked quietly.

"I learned how to the hard way. I'd never been trained on how to deal with trauma. Yeah, I'd been shot at before, and all of us know how to deal with life and death on a battlefield. But being held and hurt is so much more different. In the end the person who helped me the most was the Captain. He knew about my nightmares. So he told me something that I will never forget and it made me realize that those men could never defeat me."

"Yeah but-" Gary began then bit his lip; he'd over heard Soap talking about what had been done to Ghost's family. Gary couldn't imagine what he'd been through, how could he be so calm when that happened to him. Gary felt sad for Ghost.

"Yes, I lost my family." Ghost said, he sounded sad. "And the way it happened is unforgivable."

"I'm sorry Ghost."

Ghost hugged Gary close. "You've got a heart of gold, lad. You're sad for me for what happened years ago. Now you see why I protect you so much. You're very different from the typical soldier. You've got a sunny and mild disposition. You're nice to everyone, even those who don't necessarily deserve it. You're considerate and you put others above yourself. You and Meat didn't think I knew that you helped him scrub down the bathroom with a toothbrush? He was punished and yet you helped him. Lad, all of these qualitities will make you into a great leader."

Ghost had meant it. Why the kid hadn't applied for officer's school yet was beyond him. But at the moment, Gary was content to be held by Ghost, after all he'd gone through, Gary needed to be shown kindness. Ghost had dealt with his pain by hunting down the men respondsible for it. Gary was deaing by staying close to the others, not that they let him go anywhere alone, someone always made sure he was all right. Aeon had complained the day before that Ghost was monopolizing Gary. Ghost realized now that Aeon was right.

Ghost knew that even with help it would take Gary a long time to deal with what he'd gone through. And even longer before he could face what had happened without quaking in terror. Soap had suggested sending Gary home until he was well but Ghost knew that it could backfire on them. Gary might take it as rejection on their part and he needed to be 'coddled' as General Sheppard had said. He'd known that the task force members were waiting on Gary hand and foot. Aside from stopping in the hospital once to find out Gary's status, he hadn't really bothered with Gary.

Some time later, Soap came looking for Ghost. He wasn't in his quarters. And it was getting late. He opened the door and poked his head inside. Ghost had fallen asleep along with Roach but that wasn't all. He'd at some point, hugged the younger man closer, and now they looked like long time lovers rather than brothers-in-arms. Soap shook his head and shut the door. Best to let it alone and keep this bit of information to himself. Most of the members of TF-141 had a mischeivous side. They each had enough 'dirt' on one another for blackmail. Of course, no one actually was. None of them would be able to afford to pay.

Soap found most of the pranks that they'd pulled rather funny. Things ranging from garter snakes in Meat's boots, he had Royce to thank for that, to fake spiders hanging from fishing wire from the ceiling. Of course, it often meant that full scale prank wars would ensue once one of them started. His office safe had an assortment of pratical jokes. He'd gotten a large safe just to hold the growing supply. He had rubber chickens, whoopie cushions, hand buzzers, fake vomit, ice cubes with flies, red pepper gum, gum that turned the chewer's teeth black and a small box of snapping gum. It seemed like he was confiscating another gag item every week.

The fly in the icecubes had been sheer genius in his eyes though. The more shocking fact that it was Roach who'd planted them. Meat had pranked Gary the day before by lacing his food with exlax. Annoyed the young man had retaliated. Soap still couldn't figure out where he'd gotten six of them, the tray and the fake icecubes minus the fly. Or how he'd mananged to get them into the freezer without anyone noticing. The look on Meat's face had been priceless. Ghost thought it was wildly funny. Of course he wasn't laughing later when Meat slipped the icecubes into his drink. Soap was half tempted tp use the items to open up a store, make some money of the pranksters but then decided against it in case they decided to retaliate by using them on him.

He heard a quiet high pitched whine from the room and then Ghost make shushing noises. He came back in.

"Eveything all right?"

"Nightmare. He's been having nightmares."

"Poor lad."

"Indeed. He told me some of what he went through. They drugged him. Him of all people, the health nut. He was told by his tormentors that they have an informant here on base."

"What? Any suspects."

Ghost gave Soap a look then looked down at Gary.

"Been a little preoccupied."

"Of course, of all of us, you can help him best. He seems peaceful now. You have a calming effect on him. And as far as the sleeping in the same bed,"

"That had happened accidentally."

"Just be discret about it, oi?"

"Of course. Don't want anyone to be able to blackmail with me with incriminating photos. I wouldn't put it past the pranksters in this group."

Gary hummed and snuggled closer to Ghost. Soap grinned.

"Looks like you've become the boy's teddy bear." He teased. Ghost feigned hurt.

"This is what I'm reduced to, giant stuffed animal status."

"Ghost…" It was sleepy and Gary was still asleep.

Soap's grin grew wider. Gary yawned and blinked. "What time is it?"

"So you're awake now." Soap asked. Gary took in their compromising position and flushed.

"We both fell asleep apparently."

"Aye, woke up earlier.:

"Gary, you should know by now that if you so much as squeak, you'll have people ready to care for you."

Gary smiled up at Ghost.

"Yeah. Ghost has done a lot of it. You too sir."

"It's far too late at night for formalities Gary."

"Sorry, force of habit. Ghost told me that you believe there is an informant for the Black Serpant on base."

"My tormentor told me there had been two. One had died recently and the other hadn't sent information in some time so as to not compromise the mission."

Soap frowned. The fact that they were being betrayed by one of their own didn't sit well with him. He would need to keep a close eye on everyone from now on.

"All right but if either of you see anything off about anyone, let me know immediately."

The two on the bed nodded. Soap stayed with them for a few more minutes discussing various crap. Soap wanting to put Gary at ease to allow him to get much needed rest.

"Tomorrow, I'll see about getting more food for you."

"Oh no, not you too. Ghost already threatened to force feed me if I didn't gain more weight soon."

"Ghost never makes idle threats. So you'd better do what he says."

Outside the room, a shadow listened to the conversation about the informant and uttered a barely voiced growl. They knew too much, it was time for Plan B. The informant moved easily through the barracks as no one stopped him, he "belonged" there. He made his way to his own quarters and began to plan the slow painful deaths of the three men in the room.

**AN: For those of you who don't know, that's roughly a hundred pounds and five-feet seven inches. Gary had been barely passing the minimum weight requirement for all branches of the military in the US, which for his height of 5'7" is 121.**


	5. Chapter 5

Frustrations

A month later, Gary waited with Soap in the medical wing to have the cast on his arm removed. Ghost was on a mission with Archer, Rook and Meat.

"You know you'll still be in the wheel chair for another few week?"

"Yeah but once I regain the strength in this arm, I'll be able to get out of this chair and walk."

"You really hate being confined to any place."

Gary grinned sheepishly.

"I hate being forced to stay still. School was torture for me cause it seemed to last so long."

"Gary, Ghost asked me to watch out for you while he's gone."

"When is he getting back?"

"Not for at least another week. He told me some of what you went through. And judging by that nightmare last night you'd gone through a lot."

"What did he say?"

Soap chose his words carefully as Gary sounded upset.

"Just that you'd been drugged. And about the informant." Gary sighed.

"They shut me in a small box, sometimes for days at a time. It felt like I couldn't breathe. I think I cried for hours at a time. I tried so hard to concentrate on something else, anything else but it wasn't working. I'm not claustaphobic, you know that. The fact was that it was terrifying, not being able to move. By the time they took me out the grandtotal of three time they shut me in there, I couldn't move for a good hour, all my body had locked up, it was like being buried alive."

Soap frowned, seriously considering resurrecting the men who'd terrorized Gary and killing them again.

"Gary, you are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. Not many people could do so well so soon." Soap said then he froze when Gary let out a frustrated cry.

"I am sick of hearing that!" Gary exclaimed throwing a small box of tic-tacs at Soap, who ducked at the last second.

Soap overcame the shock of having his subordinate throw an object at him to realize just what had occurred. His eyes narrowed.

"Now listen here. I am not going to tolerate any childish behavior out of you. Throwing things at your superior officer?" Soap's voice was hard. The sight of Gary huffing in frustration softened him. He was at a loss of what to do. Gary really did look like he'd had enough of everyone sugar coating the situation.

The hardened military part of Soap's mind wanted to drag Gary from the room and beat him for insubordination. But the more gentle side of him wanted to calm the annoyed man down, the side of him that could understand why he was so frustrated. He knew he would be annoyed if people kept telling him he was doing 'well' when it was obvious to him that he wasn't. How was Riley able to deal with all the mood swings?

Silence reigned for a few moments. Soap went to move towards the man when Taco popped his head in.

"Sir, General Sheppard want to see you." Gary knew he'd really made Soap angry, it looked like he was going to pop him one. Soap nodded and followed Taco out of the room. Gary sighed and ran his hand over his face.

"What am I doing?" He asked himself. "The captain is gonna kill me when he gets back." He put a hand on his forehead. He groaned. Then he heard footsteps. There was no way that Soap could be back so soon. He wheeled himself to the door and opened it. There was a note tacked to the doorframe with a tactical knife. He pulled it to eye level.

_**Beware, you're time is limited.**_It was typed as opposed to handwritten. Hazel eyes widened in terror. He was still frozen in horror when Soap returned forty minutes later. Toad and Archer had been trying to get him to talk for twenty minutes now.

"What's going on?" Soap asked.

Gary's head snapped up and he held out the note to Soap, hand shaking hard. Soap read the note and his eyes narrowed. "Someone threatened you. Did you see who delivered this?"

"By the time I got to the door, the person was gone." Gary stammered.

"Archer and I have only been here about twenty minutes, this is the first time he's reacted to anyone."

"It's typed, _damnit_. Toad, wheel the kid with us, I want to check out something."

Toad went behind Gary and pushed the wheel chair, the four men made their way to Soap's quarters, sure enough a similar note was wedged in the door.

"What the fuck is going on?" Archer asked. "Two separate death threats?"

"Reading over my shoulder again Archer?"

"Sorry sir. Sorry lad. But I was worried from Gary's short catatonic state, so I read the note he was holding. It's meaning is bloody obvious, shite."

Gary's sharp mind put the pieces together.

"Oh my god, Ghost! Who went with him on the op?"

"He went alone, why?"

"Was there a note at his door?"

"No, since he left this morning and- oh my god." Soap commandeered the chair from Toad and led Gary away. "The informant must know he's on a mission. He knew when to leave the note on your and my doors and he used a tactical knife to post yours. Gary, be honest who do you think could know all this?"

"I don't know. Have you heard from Ghost yet?"

"An hour ago, right before the threats. He'll contact us in another few hours."

Gary insisted on staying close to Soap until they heard from Ghost. He knew now that the informant was watching them, intent on killing all of those who knew about his existance. Ghost confirmed what they'd feared, a threatening note had been shoved into his gear. He said they'd discuss this when he got back. Soap was worried, the informant was in the room with them, he was certain of it, but at the moment, there was around six people in the room, himself, Sheppard, Roach and three communications techs. He'd seen the look on one of the tech's face and he could rule her out. The other two were concentrating on cracking an incription on an enemy channel, so they didn't even hear what was going on.

That just left Sheppard but Soap was hesitant to label him as the informant, it just wasn't done. He knew that at this point, it would do neither of them any good if he went around pointing fingers. Gary looked up at Soap, then flicked his eyes to the door, an unspoken request to speak to him out of the room, in private. Soap nodded and made up and excuse about taking Gary back to his room for rest. Gary waited until they'd taken the elevator to speak.

"I think I know who it is." He began, right before the power to the elevator went suddenly.

**AN: Yeah, sorry I haven't written in a while. Been busy with the muscial I was in, which was a huge success! ::throws confetti:: I also suffered a mild case of writer's block mid chapter. I'm not too sure in the accuracy of the elevator and the communications room, was too lazy to do the research this time, hehehe….**


	6. Chapter 6

Stuck

Gary frowned.

"What just happened?" He asked. He'd had just been about to tell his captain that he was very suspicious of General Sheppard, but he couldn't even see the man.

"Looks like the power went." Soap replied as the red emergency lights came on. "Is anyone out there?"

"Don't waste your voice, the comms room is soundproof, remember?" Gary said.

"Right, meaning we could be stuck here for a while. So, you were saying?"

"I think it's General Sheppard." Gary said after a minute of biting his lip and debating with himself.

"He can't be. He was with me when you got the note."

Gary sighed.

"He has an accomplise?"

"You sound silly."

"I got this funny feeling when we were in the comms room. Don't tell me you didn't get it too." Gary said, ignoring protocol. They weren't going anywhere.

"I did, but I put it behind me. The facts don't match."

"Like you telling me that Ghost went with other people and I find that Archer wasn't with him?" Gary shot back. "You misled me."

"I knew you'd worry like crazy if you knew I sent him alone. Would have probably beat me with the cast. Do you have a thing for Ghost?"

Gary's face paled in shock.

"He's like a brother to me." Gary said.

"You two are very protective of one another. I just want to know if there is more than has been meeting the eye between you two."

"No, there isn't. Did Meat and Rook go with him at least?"

"I told them to stay out of sight for a week."

Gary glared at Soap. If the situation had been somewhat different Soap would have laughed at how easily the youger man had been able to get the truth out of him.

"Are you being honest now?"

"The pot calling the kettle black. How long has it been beyond friendship."

Gary narrowed his eyes.

"You really need to get your mind out of the gutter."

"Don't make me beat it out of you."

"I'd hate to disappoint you, but there's nothing going on."

Soap shook his head.

"You've lied to yourself as much as you are to me."

"For the love of Pete! I am not in love with Lieutenant Riley! I look up to him and maybe I try a little too hard to get on his good side. But he's my hero. Are you gonna stand there and tell me that you wouldn't do the same? Besides, even if I did swing that way, I doubt he does. I've seen the man in action. He's a legendary flirt. In one hour, he got the phone numbers from six girls."

Soap laughed.

"And you?"

"I didn't participate in the little bet they had going."

"Not much of a ladies man?"

"No, still nursing a broken heart."

"Ah. She must have been special to you."

Gary looked down.

"Yeah, she was. But it doesn't matter anymore. I'm not in a rush to go after the opposite sex."

"Whoever she was, she made a huge mistake letting you go, mate. The nurses all seemed to like you when you were hospitalized. Must be your striking good looks." Soap's voice took on a teasing tone at the end.

Gary smirked.

"So what's your excuse? Why aren't you married yet?"

"Ouch. Let's keep the glove above the waistline shall we? I never met a woman who could stand the long months of not seeing me."

"Ah."

For the next few hours, Soap alternated between pacing and shouting for help. Gary watched him for the first two hours and then tried to encourage him to stop.

"We gain nothing by wearing ourselves out."

"This is madddening!"

"So is watching you pace for two hours. I'm just as frustrated as you. Or would you like me to throw another box of tic-tacs at you?"

Soap froze and laughed at the threat.

"What is the reason you have them in the first place?"

"An inside joke between me and Scarecrow."

"He's trying to give you a hint?"

Gary laughed.

"No, I mentioned once that I like the fruit flavored tictacs, so he ordered them online to be delivered to me on base an entire carton a month. Something about getting my five servings daily."

"And it's funny because."

"Ah, never mind. I'm sorry about launching them at you."

Soap gave a wry smile.

"If my breath was that bad, you could have told me." He teased.

"Sir, if your breath was that bad, I woulda thrown more than just tictacs at you. I have some travel size scope that would followed it." Gary teased back. Soap looked insulted. "I'm sorry but you left yourself wide open for that one."

"Ghost was right, you are a cheeky little bastard."

Gary gave a goofy smile despite being stranded in an elevator.

"Ah, that's why you two love me so much, I'm like the pesky little brother."

"So I guess than Ghost and I are the older brothers?"

"Yup, and everyone else who's older than me. Except General Sheppard, of course."

"You really don't trust him, do you?"

"Not at all. Hey, take the feelings I get seriously!"

"Gary, right now, I don't know if I should."

Gary looked hurt. "You were tortured mate. Right now, you aren't so mentally sound."

"Are you saying I'm crazy?" Gary's voice cracked. He hadn't expected it to hurt so much.

"No, I'm not saying that Gary." Soap said. "You're mind is in overload. It's trying to deal with the trauma of the physical and psycological abuse you went through. You're on edge and suspiscious of everyone."

"You don't understand, you never could. You weren't afraid that they would be sending you back in so many pieces that no-one would recognize you. You weren't beaten every single day for three months until you couldn't lift your head."

Soap could tell Gary was fighting tears.

"Don't fight them Gary."

"Leave me alone." The words were strained and soft. Soap knew Ghost would kill him if he knew that he'd upsetted Gary.

"Can't do that. Gary talk to me. I'm not going to judge you."

_Gary had been brought to the hell pit they'd been bringing him for several days. He was strapped to a chair and then they left him alone in the room. Gary watched in horror as the room began flooding. He thrashed against the chair in panic. The water was icy cold and felt like knives in his skin. The water was raised up to his nose and he shrieked in terror. He tilted his head back so he could breathe. A few minutes later he was shivering badly from the cold water._

_For two hours he was left in the arctic water. He was becoming incoherent when the water was drained._

'_Great, I'm going to die of hypothermia. Someone help me.' His head lolled when the water was gone, the muscles in his neck had long since cramped._

"_Tell us, American."_

"_Bite me."_

"_You are trying my patience."_

_Andre pulled a lever and the room began filling again, this time Gary could see the steam rising from the water._

'_Oh shit.' He yelped when the water made contact with his flesh. It hurt. The water scaled his skin all the water up to his ears. He sobbed for twenty minutes before it began to cool. But even though the water went from molten hot to lukewarm to cool to cold, it didn't ease the agony the burns caused. Once the water was drained, he whined, exhausted and hurting. Andre and the two men came back in the room and released the bonds none too gently. This was the second time he'd been put through this ordeal._

_Gary didn't resist when they hoisted him up and dragged over to the table. He was strapped down and whimpered at the pain of the table and restraints contacting the blistered skin. He heard the tools rattle and then he heard Andre chuckle. Andre picked up a small thin bladed knife. He ran it over Gary's chest._

"_Did you honestly think I'd let you rest? Aw, is the poor little American in pain?"_

_Gary turned his head to Andre._

"_If you think you can intimidate me, you're wrong. I am not afraid of you or your stupid leader, you're wrong." Andre growled and the knife dug into the skin of his chest. Gary gasped._

"_Andre, don't cut too deep. I don't want him bleeding to death." Andre's superior said._

"_He insulted you, Gedeon."_

_Gedeon made his way down to the room._

"_I'll take over from here Andre. Get the doctors ready to patch up this scum."_

"How long did it last?"

"Until I passed out from a combination of pain and blood loss. It just got worse as the days passed."

"The worst part is, I thought you guys had forgotten about me. I thought I was going to die there and no-one that I loved would know I was gone." The emotional stress was too much and even in the dim light Soap could see that Gary was crying.

"Thought about your parents?" Soap asked.

Gary tried to dry his tears but to his dismay they kept coming.

"I haven't spoken to my parents in over three years."

"Your military career. What happened?"

"My father didn't want me to serve but I wanted to."

"Why?"

Gary sniffled.

"I was tired of hearing that this terrorist group killed so many civilian and that terrorist group did that. It wasn't about wanting to be a hero, it was about doing the right thing. My father refused to look at me the day I shipped out. They didn't even come to my graduation. It took a while for me to get over it. That's around the time I met my ex. She helped me through the worst of it, only to betray me far worse than they did. She cheated on me with one of my C.O.s in the unit I was in before."

Soap sighed.

"Yet you still love her. Were you sleeping with her when she was two timing you?"

"No, I wanted to wait till we were married. Something I promised myself when I was a teen. So many of my friends ended up being parents while they were still in school and I didn't want either of us to resent the other. Ironically, she was sleeping with him."

"Which means, oh wow. You're still a virgin."

"You say it like it's a bad thing. I'm actually proud of myself for being one. I mean how can we claim to be doing what's right if we aren't being good to our own bodies? Plus there's so many diseases."

"True, true. Wow, you know if we're gonna die, would you sleep with Ghost?"

"And we're back to that. If he found out you were bothering me, he'd throttle you, his CO or not."

"Which is why you won't tell him, because then you would have to admit that you're falling for him. And if you do, I'll tell him that."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

Gary had calmed down somewhat but he still looked upset. "Gary, I was only teasing. I know that you aren't in love with Ghost and I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's all right."

"Life's been a real pain for you kid. I never understood how some of the most good hearted gentle people suffered and the heartless cruel monsters prospered."

"No one will ever know. Maybe it's the way the universe works, I don't really care anymore."

Soap knelt beside Gary.

"Don't be giving up on the world just yet kid. Things will get better, I promise, now to get us out of this infernal elevator." Soap moved away and began yelling for help once more. He'd be damned if he was going to remain here all night with a moping Gary. Best get the boy to the more comedic members of 141 to keep his mind occupied. He needed to talk to Ghost when he got back, it was high time they do something.

**AN: Sorry to leave you with another cliffhanger. It's just as I was writing this, I began to suffer from major writers block, ugh! Yeah sorry about all the spelling, grammatical and other mistakes in the previous chapters, to clear the record, Archer is still on base, and Ghost is by himself on a mission. Bad Soap for lying to Roach! Anyway lovelies, please review.**


	7. Chapter 7

Rescued

Six more hours passed before Gary and Soap heard a familiar

"Captain, Roach?"

"Thank heavens Toad! The elevator's power went. We're stuck."

"Wrong place to get stuck. Fine, I'm going to get help."

"Wait, Toad!" Gary began but Toad had gone. A few minutes later he could hear other voices.

"What floor are you stuck on?"

"Like we know. Just get us out of here before we go nuts."

Half hour later, they could hear the outer door being pried open. Soap moved and managed to get the door partially opened. It was Worm on the other side.

"Thank you Worm, what happened to the power?"

"Angel is on it. He's down in the lower levels trying to see what happened. None of you can squeeze through that."

"I wasn't going to suggest. I saw that movie thank you very much and the woman lost her head as a result of the elevator moving."

"Are you talking Resident Evil or Final Destination 2?"

"The first one. I still look away and flinch every time I see it."

"Pansy."

"I am not!"

Soap groaned.

"No squabbling you two, I swear you sound like two bickering trolls." Gary and Wormed looked at each other, then at Soap and then once more at one another. Then they started to laugh. "What?"

"Does that make you the third troll, sir?" Worm asked. Gary laughed harder at the look on Soap's face.

"I didn't come here to be insulted."

"Sorry sir." Worm's cell rang, he flipped it open. "Okay, I'll let them know."

Soap waited until Worm had hung up.

"Well?"

"Angel is fixing the elevator power. It should be on in a few seconds."

The power sputtered and finally came back on.

"Finally, freedom!" Soap said, Gary arched an eyebrow. It was so uncharacteristic of the mostly serious man.

"Don't tell anyone about our little conversation, please. Everyone teases me enough as it is. They'd have a field-day."

"So you've finally owned up to it?"

"Are you ever gonna let it go?"

Soap smirked.

"Not until you admit to what's so obvious to me."

"Not liking you right now." The elevator had begun moving once more. When they reached the ground floor, they found out that someone had trashed both Gary's and Soap's rooms. It took some time to return to the rooms and get them back in order. "I don't like this." Archer said from the door. "First the notes, then the elevator and now this. Someone is really out to get you two."

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious, Archer." Soap said sarcastically.

For the rest of the week, Soap attached a detail three members of the 141 to watch over Gary when he couldn't. Gary hated every second of it.

"I'm just using the restroom." Gary said they had begun to follow him inside.

"Sorry Roach, but the captain's orders."

"They didn't say to hover over me. I can go to the bathroom on my own."

He was getting seriously annoyed. When he went to shower, they were there. When he was eating, they weren't too far away. But this was the final straw. There was no way he was going to allow the three of them to watch him do his business!

"Give the poor kid some privacy." Worm said from the doorway. "Let him take a shit in peace."

"Nice Worm."

"Hey, don't be blamin' me for this. You can take it up with the captain laters."

They seemed to be content to talk to Worm while Gary used the restroom. Once Gary was out, he heard Worm talking about horror films being racist.

"It's true." Gary put in. "They're not only racist, they're also sexist. Example, the psycho killer is out on the floor the girl, rather than run to the car and be in another state and she always has the keys in her hand, she runs up the damn stairs. And minorities never live past the first half hour of the killings."

"Oh man, so that means Worm is screwed!"

"So are you Taco."

"Fuck, we're all screwed."

Gary snickered.

"Screwed in what?" A well missed voiced asked. Gary's eyes lit up at the sight of Ghost.

"Ghost, you're back!"

"Happy to see me?"

"You know he worships the ground you walk on, oh hero of his. We were talking about horror movies and we said we'd all be screwed." Worm said. "Me and Taco here because we're minorities and Roach cause he's unlucky."

Ghost looked around.

"Having a party?"

"No, we were assigned by the captain to keep an eye on Roach when he couldn't. He yelled at us a few minutes ago."

"You were hovering over me like gnats."

"We've been dissed. We should get going, Ghost looks like he wants to talk to Roach alone." Worm said. The four men left.

Gary had truly missed the elder.

"I'm glad you came back in one piece."

"I'm glad to find you in better condition than when I left. It seems like MacTavish just wanted to keep you safe. I've been back for two hours. Got debriefed for the first and the captain spoke with me."

"Oh?"

"He said that you were shaking after you got the note. It was tacked to the door with a knife?"

"Yeah. No one knows who the knife belongs to. It's frightening. Not to mention the elevator's power being cut like that."

Gary didn't mention that Soap had been teasing him. Or that he'd been thinking about what Soap had said.

"He told me that he thinks that we're madly in love with one another. And judging by the way you lit up like a Christmas tree, is there something you want to tell me?"

"I was happy to see you."

Ghost could tell that Gary was telling the truth, just not all of it. But he decided to let it go now. But when this was over, they would be discussing the situation. Ghost knew that Soap was suggesting. He could see why Soap was saying it. Gary was in many ways the opposite of Ghost. Gary had a bright and sunny disposition, though not lately. Ghost hated admitting that he was a pessamist, Gary was optimistic. Ghost could easily admit that it was his entire way of being that made him care so deeply about Gary.

He wanted to protect him, give him the love that life had denied him. Soap had told him about what Gary had told him when they were trapped in the elevator together. He had half a mind to find his father and throttle him. His sister, though Gary had never mentioned if she still spoke to him, he doubted it. Then his superior stealing away his fiance. It happened with in such a short period of time. Poor kid had barely recovered from the first blow to his heart when the second was delivered. Yet he still showed so much compassion for everyone else.

"Ghost?" Gary asked after his companion had fallen silent.

Ghost smiled and moved closer to Gary.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you it's just that I can't help but-" Whatever what Ghost was going to say was interrupted by a sharp click.

"Move and I'll blow his brains out." It was the informant. Gary was frozen in horror. "Push the chair."

Gary flicked terrified hazel eyes in Ghost's direction. Ghost complied reluctantly, the gun pressed tightly to the back of his head. Their attacker ordered Ghost to go to a secluded part of the base. Soap was already there. "I'm gonna enjoy killing you, son. But first I'll make you watch them die. And once I'm done with you, I'll make sure you're properly disposed of." Gary knew they were doomed.


	8. Chapter 8

The Informant

Gary glanced at his superior officers, hazel eyes sad.

"Why don't you show your face you coward?" Soap spat.

"Shut up MacTavish."

"I'm sorry." Gary mouthed to Ghost and Soap.

"Do you really think you'll get away with this?" Ghost asked. "Bullets are traceable."

The informant chuckled and waved the gun at Gary.

"Recognize this?"

"Where did you get that?"

"I recovered it long before you were."

"You betrayed us; you honestly think that I'm stupid? I already knew who you were. Let me guess, you had an accomplice?"

"Smarter than I gave you credit for MacTavish. But as always with you, it's too late."

Soap glared at the informant.

"What did you do to your accomplice?"

"They should be finding his dead body several days from now in the very back of the locker room. At first glance it'll look like he slipped and died from a broken neck when he fell. Such a shame too. Any last words MacTavish?"

The informant pulled the trigger and Soap stopped moving. Gary struggled in horror. Then he saw as the informant aimed at Ghost. "Riley?"

"Yeah, fuck you." Ghost growled. Gary launched himself at their attacker just as he pulled the trigger and Ghost went down with a yelp, clutching his arm. Gary fought their attacker briefly but it was obvious the other man was in much better shape than he was, it didn't take long for Gary to be subdued.

"Nice try Sanderson. Very brave but ultimately foolish."

Gary lay panting on the floor, he grabbed at the informant's leg as he walked towards Ghost, but was unable to stop him when he shot Ghost again. Then the informant walked over to him. Gary had managed to sit up but would never have been able to get up.

"You'll never get away with this."

"I think I will."

Gary's eyes flicked over to Soap and then to Ghost, they were both still alive, for now. "So sad that you've killed them both then killed yourself. Poor young Sanderson, the boy just snapped. No warning signs what-so-ever." It finally made sense, he was going to die last to make it look like he'd killed them both and then killed himself.

"You're story is full of holes, Sheppard. Did you forget that when you fire a weapon as small as that one it leaves traces on your hands?"

The informant removed the mask he'd been wearing.

"Knew it was me all along."

"I had my suspicions of you since I first met you. You always struck me as unhinged ant this just proves it."

"Don't try me patience son."

"I'm not the one who's committing murder. I'm not the one who's gonna face a firing squad when I'm caught."

Sheppard leveled the gun at Gary.

"My only witnesses are dead." He said. Gary glared at him.

"Not yet." He said quietly. He'd seen movement behind Sheppard. Before Sheppard could fire, a gunshot rang out and Sheppard fell to the floor, clutching his leg. Archer stood behind him, arm shaking. He Toad and Worm had gone to bother Gary, only to discover the room was empty. They had began searching and found a body in the pool. Alarmed even more when they couldn't find the captain they widened the search. Archer had sent Worm for more help.

Gary grabbed the fallen side arm quickly and pressed it to Sheppard's head. "I swear if you move, I'll kill you." It took several minutes before security arrived and cuffed Sheppard. He was going to be tried for his crimes; the medics had begun working on Soap and Ghost. Gary crawled to the latter. "Ghost?"

He was still conscious and managed a weary smile at Gary. Archer was with Soap. Gary focused his attention on Ghost. "I'm sorry."

"Don't blame yourself lad. You did very good. I'm so proud of you."

"Don't talk." Gary said pressing a finger to Ghost's lips. Ghost kissed the finger.

"It's just a flesh wound. I'll be fine. He really has rotten aim."

Gary laughed uneasily. He looked up at Archer, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"They're bringing them to medical. Let's get you back on that chair so you can wait to see how they are."

"I hate that chair."

"Stop your complaining before I spank you for being naughty."

Gary knew that Archer was just trying to lift his spirits. After some struggling, they got to medical. The body was going to be identified at a later date; right now the doctors were more concerned about Soap and Ghost. It was several hours before the doctors announced that they would be all right and they could have visitors. Gary went to see Soap first.

"Good to see you awake, sir."

"Glad to be awake. You were right. From now on, I'm gonna take your feelings seriously. Now get out of here and take good care of Ghost. He loves you; I saw what you couldn't after we got shot. Talk to him about it."

Gary went to see Ghost next.

"Soap has a big mouth." Ghost said when Gary asked. "Yes, I love you. It took me nearly dying to realize it."

"He's more observant than people give him credit for."

"Comes with the territory of being a sharp-shooter."

"You know if we get together, everyone will know by week's end. That's the problem with being on a team comprised of the world's best. They're also sharp. They'll know immediately. Could end our careers."

"Don't care." Gary had been leaning over Ghost to keep the conversation as private as possible. Their faces so close, all Ghost did was lean up and press his mouth against Gary's. It was a peck more than a kiss but it had the same effect, it shut Gary up. Gary was stunned and just stared at Ghost for a full minute. "Did I blow a fuse?" Ghost teased. There would be time to make Gary speechless but for now, Ghost was content to let him nag him about needing him rest.

End.

**AN: I actually took a long time to write the last two chapters because I was debating on whether to make Ghost and Roach fall for one another. Thanks to Destiny xD and MissPumpkinHead I decided to just go for it. The next story will focus on them and Sheppard's trial for treason and what not. Yeah, I really hated Sheppard so I'm gonna fry him! :: Evil cackle:: oops, sorry had a moment of crazed meanness. Reviews por favor!**


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